# CC Fail



## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

So my friend is going to cuba... I thought i'd ask him if he wanted to buy some sticks for me. He's good with it, so i dropped him money and order info (RASS and Monte #4). I tell him there is an LCDH a few miles away from his hotel and thats mostly the only trustworthy place to buy CCs on ISOM.

A week later he comes back with a box of Monte's #4 and a Box of RyJ #3 Tubos, (couldn't find some RASS), which he bought in a Cuban grocery store with a Cuban canadian friend he was meeting over there.

The boxes definitely don't appear legit but the cigars look alike the real stuff, except of very poor quality and inadequate storage.

- No box codes on them
- Labels SN a very close to each other (Monte and RyJ... ?!)
- Labels don't stick much and are affixed randomly on the box
- Monte's box is actually a #1 box with a 4 drawn over the 1.
- Wood spacer in the monte's is "used"
- RyJ box says #3 on one side and #2 on the other side
- Some of the RyJ have soft spots
- Tubos don't have cedar liners

Now, I am trying to understand what is all that... I highly doubt that I have genuine product, but what you guys think about this?

My friend had good intentions about saving me a few extra bucks and he understands my frustration and I don't blame him for anything that happened, except he's going to have to smoke one of these with me


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

My guess would be fakes without a doubt as the cigar is whats worth the money, not the box. I wouldnt be smoking them.out:


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Tashaz said:


> My guess would be fakes without a doubt as the cigar is whats worth the money, not the box. I wouldnt be smoking them.out:


Yeah, thats the part I am worried about


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

Pics? Always interested to seeing possible fakes. :neutral:


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## tobacmon (May 17, 2007)

Pic's would help out--take some and we'll take a looksy!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Would love to see pics as well. I have in my time smoked some pretty good fakes. I wouldn't toss em just yet.


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## Scott W. (Jul 10, 2008)

Smoke one or two, what the heck. Even if they are not authentic brands, they could possibly still be cuban tobacco (and pubes) so give one a try.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

scottw said:


> Smoke one or two, what the heck. Even if they are not authentic brands, they could possibly still be cuban tobacco (and pubes) so give one a try.


As long as there only female virgin pubes gathered while rolling the cigar on the inner thigh.:lie:


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

I will take pictures and upload them.


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## Nickerson (Mar 19, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> As long as there only female virgin pubes gathered while rolling the cigar on the inner thigh.:lie:


The whole "virgins thighs" thing is way to over used around here. :???:


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## havanajohn (Apr 4, 2009)

If they did not come from a LCDH store, or the factory store, then they are fake, period.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Nickerson said:


> The whole "virgins thighs" thing is way to over used around here. :???:


It is used all over the world to Quote you "Way to over used". Personally i disagree its your opinion and your entitled to it. The reason why i disagree is because it is a piece of cigar history .Just like any other legend that surrounds the mystique of anything really. That is why so many find it amusing. Now you know why i and most find this amusing. I have enclosed this article. So now you know how the Legend came to be.

CUBAN CIGARS ARE ROLLED BETWEEN THE THIGHS OF VIRGINS
South African cigar expert Theo Rudman addresses this hoary old legend in his on-line magazine. "It is a lovely idea," he writes, "but alas is a legend that has persisted since the mid-forties, when a visiting journalist saw tobacco leaves being sorted and graded by women who placed the respective piles on their laps." The visitor apparently took some imaginative journalistic license when he later wrote that Havanas were rolled on the thighs of virgins. Certainly, this story hasn't hurt the mystique-laden marketing of Habanos. "Yes, they would stretch the leaves on their uncovered skin, but to roll a cigar on one's leg - you cannot do that," Borhani says with a snicker. "I challenge anyone - man or woman - to put bunched tobacco on their thigh and roll a successful cigar."


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

Yeah, I wouldn't trust anything that wasn't from a legit store. A lot of us who buy on the internet are by no means experts at buying in-store on the island, but given the list of discrepancies you described, I would be pretty damn skeptical.

Also, I would give my friend an earful for blowing my money on some b.s. when I gave specific instructions to go to LCDH!


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Buying off the street or anywhere other than an LCDH is a guaranteed disappointment in Cuba. Like buying Cuban Cigars on e- Bay or Graig's list.uke:


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Here are the pictures...


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)




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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Now here is a legit Monte #4 box i had here...


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## Frinkiac7 (Dec 12, 2008)

Look mighty fishy to me, from the finishing on the sticks themselves on down. No hologram on the Cuba seal, the pen-marked boxes are a big red flag as well. Did the boxes have the vistas in them?

No color expert here, but those Montes look mighty dark compared to others I've smoked, as well.

Looks like they were once legit boxes, but have seen a lot of use. My guess is some backdoor operation got the boxes and uses them to add a touch of legitimacy to their home-rolled product. I don't know who they're fooling with the sharpie marker writing on the side, though!

Have you smacked your friend upside the head yet?


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

I think he's feeling bad enough about it, I won't add the slap behind the head. 

I just lost 140 CUC (160 CAD) for both boxes. I believe this should have cost around 200 CUC at LCDH anyway, not big of a save especially when the real ones would be around 60-75% savings from Canadian prices.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Frinkiac7 said:


> No color expert here, but those Montes look mighty dark compared to others I've smoked, as well.


Yeah, I think you are right, they are a little dark compared to the ones I had before.


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## ShortyStogie (Oct 7, 2009)

Dude,

Sorry to hear about (and see!) your troubles... These are definitely fakes... there's no question about that.

Having said that, however, do smoke a few. You never know how you might like em.


Fauzi


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Yes my friend sorry to say they are as fake as Pam Anderson's well you get the idea.

Pam Anderson's Breast Pops Out At Fashion Week (NSFW PHOTOS)


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## Mante (Dec 25, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Yes my friend sorry to say they are as fake as Pam Anderson's well you get the idea.
> 
> Pam Anderson's Breast Pops Out At Fashion Week (NSFW PHOTOS)


NSFAnyone any more. That is not a pretty puppy anymore.ound:


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Yes my friend sorry to say they are as fake as Pam Anderson's well you get the idea.
> 
> Pam Anderson's Breast Pops Out At Fashion Week (NSFW PHOTOS)


Tony
Never figured you for a 
Huffington Post kinda guy :whip:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> Tony
> Never figured you for a
> Huffington Post kinda guy :whip:


You caught me Bull Man what can i say.ound:
Actually i did a search on Google for Pam Anderson boobs it was the first one that came up.:faint:
No cause for worry Bull Man i am OK i think.:decision:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Tashaz said:


> NSFAnyone any more. That is not a pretty puppy anymore.ound:


I agree the years and the Hep C have diffidently taken there toll shame.:lalala:


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## bouncintiga (Feb 3, 2010)

the bands look pretty good. of course i still don't think they're real cigars.


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## Scardinoz (Mar 15, 2010)

Those boxes were downright laughable. Your buddy should follow instructions when he's using someone else's money. Perhaps a quick call along the lines of, "Hey, I found a place that is selling them cheaper than LCDH" would have been in order.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Scardinoz said:


> Those boxes were downright laughable. Your buddy should follow instructions when he's using someone else's money. Perhaps a quick call along the lines of, "Hey, I found a place that is selling them cheaper than LCDH" would have been in order.


Yeah, I still have yet to ear from the outcome of speaking to his friend who brought him there...


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## robofan (Jun 7, 2008)

Now that you know they are fakes my advice is to get rid of them. I know it's difficult to throw away two boxes of cigars but they could be loaded with beetle eggs waiting to hatch and go after your legitimate cigars.

And if for some reason you decide to smoke some of them make sure you cut open a few to see what they are made of first. Who knows what is rolled on the inside of those.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

robofan said:


> Now that you know they are fakes my advice is to get rid of them. I know it's difficult to throw away two boxes of cigars but they could be loaded with beetle eggs waiting to hatch and go after your legitimate cigars.
> 
> And if for some reason you decide to smoke some of them make sure you cut open a few to see what they are made of first. Who knows what is rolled on the inside of those.


They look terrible i can't imagine whats lurking inside.


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

I'd at least try one of each out. Definitely cut one of each up as well. Maybe pickup a cheapo tupperware type box to keep-em in if they taste ok lol.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

The Monte #4


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

The RyJ #3


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

The monti looks decent, long filler at least. If ya need a guinea pig shoot me a pm  haha


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## Esoteric (Jun 15, 2009)

The Monte, cigar itself that is, looks pretty realistic to me (by itself, NOT considering the box it came in).

Isn't that a really old band on the RyJ?


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## gator_79 (Sep 16, 2009)

I'd at least give the Monte a shot. It looks pretty good, long fillers and decently rolled.


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## PJD (Aug 15, 2009)

Any chance that these were "seconds" that were released essentially for the local market at reduced prices or sold/given to factory workers or family, etc?


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

PJD said:


> Any chance that these were "seconds" that were released essentially for the local market at reduced prices or sold/given to factory workers or family, etc?


I was thinking about that since this was sold to a Cuban in a grocery store, but eh... never know.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

I did taste each of them the day after he brought them to me... they weren't bad but they definitely not been stored properly. I had an uneven and quick burn. The sticks are somewhat soft, not super loose, but a bit soft. The "Monte #4" did remind me of a #4, but not too closely.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Esoteric said:


> The Monte, cigar itself that is, looks pretty realistic to me (by itself, NOT considering the box it came in).
> 
> Isn't that a really old band on the RyJ?


I had the same band on my RyJ #2 from last year, and those were legit. Unless there is a detail I am missing.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

thrasher64 said:


> The monti looks decent, long filler at least. If ya need a guinea pig shoot me a pm  haha


You want to take a closer look at them ?


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

jspilon said:


> You want to take a closer look at them ?


Haha, Only if you where going to toss'em :behindsofa:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

WTF is all that crap in there dried out banana leaves.opcorn:


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

I'm just throwing this out there.....

It isn't inconceivable that a grocery store had legit cigars and simply put them in old boxes to store. For instance, if a customer came in and wanted one cigar then they could just take one out of the box. The boxes wouldn't necessary have to be real either, since someone could have just grabbed two laying around. I know non B&Ms that do that here in the states.

Plus, we all know how serious the Cuban govt. is about cracking down on fakes. That is why the state sponsored stores give you official receipts. 

I'm not saying they are real, but if they aren't, then they are some of the better fakes I've seen.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

jadeg001 said:


> I'm just throwing this out there.....
> 
> It isn't inconceivable that a grocery store had legit cigars and simply put them in old boxes to store. For instance, if a customer came in and wanted one cigar then they could just take one out of the box. The boxes wouldn't necessary have to be real either, since someone could have just grabbed two laying around. I know non B&Ms that do that here in the states.
> 
> ...


Did you see the picks on the first page of the post.
I have never seen fakes that looked that bad,
The foot of the cigars is cut on a 45 degree angle.:dizzy:


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## JGD (Mar 2, 2009)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Did you see the picks on the first page of the post.
> I have never seen fakes that looked that bad,
> The foot of the cigars is cut on a 45 degree angle.:dizzy:


Yea... I definitely missed the first page.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

jadeg001 said:


> Yea... I definitely missed the first page.


I thought so you had to those look terrible.


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

Yeah the cuts are uneven and the cigars are not exactly same size and length. Has I said in the original post, i doubt those are the real stuff... but I was wondering if it was possible they'd be seconds or something. I don't believe RyJ make any short filler #3's

I don't know what will happen to them, they weren't awful when I tried them, but they weren't exciting neither... I am not sure I want to go through the 46 remaining


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## jspilon (Aug 25, 2009)

thrasher64 said:


> Haha, Only if you where going to toss'em :behindsofa:


I can send some your way if you want to take a closer look and incinerate them.

I don't take any responsibility if you turn green while smoking them


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## thrasher64 (Jun 4, 2009)

You got a PM :bounce:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

jspilon said:


> Yeah the cuts are uneven and the cigars are not exactly same size and length. Has I said in the original post, i doubt those are the real stuff... but I was wondering if it was possible they'd be seconds or something. I don't believe RyJ make any short filler #3's
> 
> I don't know what will happen to them, they weren't awful when I tried them, but they weren't exciting neither... I am not sure I want to go through the 46 remaining


There are no seconds in Habano's ainkiller:


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